Negozio Classica

Time Out says

4 out of 5 stars

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Users say
(2)

3 out of 5 stars

Time Out says

4 out of 5 stars

Part owned by Tuscany’s Avignonesi winery, Negozio Classica is set up to showcase the full range of Avignonesi wines in the best way possible – serving them by the glassful. There’s also a careful selection of other Italian wines, many of them organic or biodynamic. In addition to the 25 or so by-the-glass offerings (starting at a considerate £4), there’s a monthly ‘flight’: introductory tasters of three wines from a particular region, served in elegant glassware by an enthusiastic sommelier. Visit the Portobello store at cocktail hour, however, and you might think you’d arrived at the Aperol centre of London, as the entire premises – back room, bar, window seats and half the pavement – are packed with slick-suited Italian business men, artfully torn-jean and Prada toters, colourful local shopkeepers and gossip-sharing ladies, all clutching huge glasses brimming with bright orange Aperol spritz. Nibbles come free at this time of day, and very good they are too – enough to persuade punters to indulge in platters of antipasti (specially imported Tuscan cured meats, cheeses and olives of excellent quality), generous mounds of soft cheeses and grilled vegetables or even a tagliata salad of grilled Aberdeen Angus. We couldn’t resist pouring a little Occhio di Pernice, a fantastically concentrated dessert wine akin to fig balsamic, over a wobbly vanilla panna cotta – sheer heaven. No one batted an eyelid.

A star for the food & another for the wine - shame about the poor service & rude management - cheeky adding in service charge without asking when 'service not included' clearly printed on the bill. I won't recommend.